MOBILE DEVICES

Apple's customers have downloaded more than 40 billion applications from the company's App Store, with almost half of those occurring last year as use of the iPhone and iPad surged.

More than 2 billion apps were downloaded in December alone, a record, the Cupertino company said Monday. Apple, with now more than 775,000 apps available for its iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices, said it has paid more than $7 billion to the developers of those applications.

Apple is counting on apps to help woo consumers who are choosing from an increasing array of lower-priced tablets from competitors, including Google, Amazon.com and Microsoft. Apps can also help the iPhone compete against feature-laden phones from Samsung Electronics and Nokia.

Deal unlikely to end litigation

Google's requirement to make new patent-licensing offers to Apple and Microsoft under its settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission probably won't resolve lawsuits among the technology giants, according to patent lawyers.

Last week's agreement requires Google to offer competitors "fair and reasonable" terms for using its patents included in industrywide standards for smartphones, tablet computers and other electronic devices, and to give them time to respond.

The global litigation among the companies has become central to shaping the worldwide market for mobile devices, which includes phones, tablets and e-readers, that reached $436 billion last year and is projected to almost double to $847 billion by 2016.

ONLINE VIDEO

Time Warner streaming Roku

Roku, the closely held Saratoga online video service, said it's adding 300 live television channels through a partnership with Time Warner Cable.

The deal allows Time Warner Cable subscribers with Roku devices to access live TV and Internet video from sites such as Netflix and YouTube from the same set-top box, the companies said.

This is the first time Time Warner Cable, the second-largest U.S. cable company, is streaming its live TV channels to a consumer device connected to the television, the company said. Time Warner Cable Chief Operating Officer Rob Marcus said in September that the New York company wanted to ensure its customers could get its video service using any technology they prefer.

BIOTECH

Verinata selling to Illumina

Illumina, a San Diego maker of DNA sequencing equipment, said Monday that it has agreed to acquire closely held Verinata Health Inc. of Redwood City, a provider of tests for abnormalities in fetal chromosomes.

The deal was valued at $350 million plus as much as $100 million in potential milestone payments. With the acquisition, Illumina will gain what it calls the broadest non-invasive prenatal test available for high-risk pregnancies.

Illumina itself has been a takeover target, but Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche Holding indicated Monday it may no longer be interested in buying the company, sending Illumina stock down 7 percent.

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